“The newly released English edition of an Italian novel set in Finland is now selling like hot cinnamon rolls. Imagine my surprise: Top of the Guardian newspaper’s bestseller list was a book called New Finnish Grammar. Surely some mistake? How could so many readers be queuing up to discover the perplexing intricacies of the Finnish language? Finland may be attracting plenty of delighted visitors, but how many of them take the trouble to learn more than the basics: kiitos (thank you) and olut (beer)?

Unlike most foreign literature that makes more than a passing reference to the country, the book attracted little attention when its Finnish edition appeared in 2003. The English version, on the other hand, appears to be jumping off the bookshop shelves and acquiring something of a cult status.”

thisisFINLAND.fi

These are the comments of a website run by the The Finnish Foreign Ministry. Many Fins have taken this book about Finland to their hearts but they are not alone. Eleven years after its Italian publication New Finnish Grammar is making the kind of impact publishers dream about and hardly ever experience, especially small independent literary publishers like Dedalus. First published in May 2011, New Finnish Grammar is now to be printed for the seventh time in February 2012.

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